Celesi Entreri
by Aya Eliya
Summary: This isn't an introduction yet. This is sap for those who know who she is. You have been warned
1. Celesi

This is written for those who like Celesi/Dillan sap.  If you don't know who those two are, ask me or PyroFreak about our RPs.  There's bunches of grammar errors.  Have fun!

Screaming, his back arched.  The sorcerer merely smiled.

Filled with various tubes of poisons and acids flowed into various places on his body.  He was their little pet, whether he liked it or not.  Filled with poison, and morphing from one form to another, Dilandau Albatou appeared a helpless victim.

Cleaning the used vials and supplies, she regarded the general, shivering.  _All this for a failed mission?  What moron willingly works for Strategos?_  Quickly remembering even her thoughts might be monitored, she stopped thinking of anything but pity and rubbing the cloth through the tiny vial neck.

Folken Strategos watched the girl, smiling.  She made an ok servant cleaner, but he had far greater ideas on how to use her for his own purposes.  Her private thoughts he couldn't see, but easily guess as she shuddered.  And then, just as suddenly as she'd started, she stopped; her thoughts returning to her task with a mild mix of pity.

~*~

Dillan Albot had no idea whatsoever what made the general so violent and volatile.  What could drive him to do this?  Sure, Folken was a jackass, but why slap your unit around?  He supposed it might be due to his being new to the vione, but something just didn't add up.

Dilandau Albatou stood panting, Gatti, Chesta, and Dallet knocked out around him.  His eyes flicked between Dillan and Miguel.  Dillan knew what the general's decision was.  It was always the same.

_Why always me?  _

_Because he thinks I intentionally look like him, and have a similar name.  He doesn't believe in coincidence._

_And you weren't created like this explicitly for his torturing pleasure?_

_Shut up, brain._

Dillan wondered if he was telling his brain that too much recently.

Miguel stood, bowed to the general, and walked out of Dilandau's room.  Grinning wickedly at Dillan, the newby added the next IOU to his growing list.

Dilandau jumped from his chair, screaming and ranting as he stalked after Miguel.  He good naturedly slammed Dillan into a wall on his way out.

Dillan just slid to the floor, allowing himself the comfort of cupping his cheek.  "Why me, God?  Why did he have to choose me?"

"Because you remind him of himself before he was brought here, Dillan Albot."

Dillan jumped to his feet, a light blush brushed across his face.  "S-Sora?  What are you doing in here?"  He thought that was the name of the only girl on the vione.  He knew well the voices of the cat girls.  Narya and Eriya were sent to slice the slayers up time to time for Folken's pleasure at their screams.  He knew of no other girl on the ship.

"Sora?  I am not allied with the idiot Strategos.  Even less is the likelihood I would ever idolize him as she does."

Dillan gasped, the open treason she was voicing.  "Are you an imbecile, or an invader?" he snarled, drawing his sword, in case she was the latter.

"No, just the only slave on the entire ship.  Well, you're all slaves, I'm the only literal one."

Dillan stopped, leaning back against the wall.  "If you say so." He pushed his sword nearly the rest of the way in, resting his hand on the hilt.

A girl in a plain white shift popped into view, stepping on his foot, forcing the blade all the way in, with her toes.  She smiled.  "Your hand's nice and warm."  Dillan blushed, wondering how her foot could be so icy.

Celesi danced back a few steps.  "Sorry to bother you.  You must have work to do for the general." He saw a pang of pain cross her face.  "Just know he has superiors worse than he is to you." As she danced away, Dillan wished his throat would work so he could call her back.

You fool.  You can still call her back, if you could control your own vocal cords 

_Shut up, and maybe I will._

_No, you won't.  You're too chicken to do anything you want to._

_And now you sound like Aidana._

_Maybe that's because I am, BAKA!_

Dillan paled, pulling himself tighter against the wall.  _Show yourself, then._

A cackle.  _Not yet.  I still have to haunt Celesi's dreams._

A scream.  The girl's.  It all fit.  The slave Celesi walked back, glowering.  She touched the control panel next to his head.  Dillan wondered what the hell she thought she could do with it.  His jaw dropped as she punched in the correct code, and Dilandau's personal locker hissed open.  Inside, Aidana glowered.  "Why do YOU have to know me so well?"  

Celesi slapped her.  "Shut up, and maybe I'll let you off with a warning."  Celesi found herself pressed tightly against the ceiling, though Dillan noted she didn't seem surprised.  She smiled.  "Nice try.." She fell, while Aidana twitched.  When she finally reached the ground, Aidana collapsed under her impact more than weight.  

"Get off me—bitch!"  Aidana panted, digging her fingernails what looked like painfully into Celesi's upper leg.  Celesi smiled, gripping Aidana's agiel.  "You trained me with this, remember?"  Aidana froze as Celesi put it in her ear.  Aidana lay perfectly still, her face turning whiter shades of pale as each moment passed.  Aidana released Celesi as the little slave threatened to push the iron rod into the lethal position.  Smiling, she left it hanging precariously.

Smiling, she skipped over, and hugged Dillan tightly.  "It feels so good to get revenge!" she sighed happily, laying her head on his chest.  Smiling, Dillan stroked her hair.  _I can't say you don't deserve it, 'nee chan._  Aidana glared at him.  _Shut. Your. Mouth!_

Dillan kept smiling, and held Celesi against himself.  Whatever had happened between his sister and this girl, the slave had managed to get Aidana laying perfectly still in front of Dilandau's open locker.  That was a very deadly place to be.  And, as entertaining as the thought of watching his sister punished was, he didn't particularly want to be there when Dilandau got mad.

Celesi seemed to have a similar idea—or so he thought.  She kissed the hand on her head, and grasped it, trying to pull him with her.  Smiling, he allowed himself to be towed wherever she wanted, as Aidana's brain screamed at him.

An empty locker.  Dillan just stared.  Did this locker have some emotional value to her?  Was he supposed to put her in?  What could she want?

She wants you to go in, YAROU! 

Dillan closed his eyes, and forced himself to remember it was Aidana in his head.

When he was in, he blinked.  _There's almost room—if I were to—_  Seeming to read his mind, Celesi settled in his lap, and shut the door.  He felt a wave of blue cover his mind, and Aidana's tension disappeared from his mind.  In the dark, he sensed more than saw Celesi's smile.  Holding her finger to his lips, she giggled in his mind.  _Aidana's forgotten where we went.  _

Dilandau strode back into the room, to finish beating the crap out of Dillan, but saw an unidentified girl laying on the floor, still as death, her face ashen.  Experimentally, he kicked the side of her head.  Aidana willed the rod to fall the opposite way, and the agiel easily agreed, rolling against gravity.  Having her death trap gone, she thanked her savior, rising up, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him.  She stroked his unscarred cheek.  "My thanks," she whispered, fire burning in her eyes.  "And now I have a fool to kill, and a brother to punish."

Dilandau finally recovered from the shock of a woman daring to do anything of that sort, and backhanded her with as much force as he could with her so close.  It wasn't enough.

Aidana's eyes fire sparked.  Dilandau found himself slammed through his lion statues, and against the walls.  "How DARE you!" she screamed, stalking forward.  Dillan's eyes widened, realizing he was fighting a dragon.  He gathered his energy for an attack when she came close enough.  Aidana, however, was not braindead.

From a distance of twenty meters, she began levitating half a foot from the floor.  "Maybe we are better off apart." She remarked, then laughed, kinetically shoving him through the wall.  In the locker, Celesi ground, shaking her head, then leaning it back against Dillan's chest.  Neither Dillan or Dilandau got her reference.

Dilandau fell a good meter before he managed to get his fiery red wings erupted from his back.  Glowering, he soared back to the hole.  _She's going to pay for that!_

_Correction.  You're going to pay for what you've done._

_And what the hell have I done?!!_

_Embarassed me, attempted to hurt me, and didn't kill Celesi.  The list will grow the longer I know you.  Starting with evading your execution!_

Dilandau finally noted the girl in black leather was soaring toward him, somehow flying without wings, although the black and red dagger she held was easy enough to see and fear.  But Dilandau did not fear things he could escape.  And he hadn't failed escaping yet.  Hadn't even tried yet.

As she flew closer, he saw the intricate designs on her dagger, of serpentine forms, those of the air and the sea.  Their garnet eyes and scales that glistened were glittered with real gems.  She smiled, turning the blade over in her hand.  _You like?_ Her eyes honestly asked before her mask of fury returned.  _It will be perfect once it's encased in your CHEST!_  She dove forward, slashing violently.  Dilandau's eyes widened, as he fought his way backwards through the air.

Back in the vione, in the locker; Celesi muttered something in another language Dillan took to be a curse.  She drew what looked like a bone from her belt.  He saw traces of aquamarine glittering along the hilt's length.  As his gaze flicked outwards, he saw Aidana draw a similar blade, except inversed, the blade and hilt  dark gray and black, decorated with red.  Her creamy blade came to his throat, and he swallowed hard.  "Don't move." Her glare softened, as she pushed hair back from his forehead.  "I don't want to have to use this on you."  Dillan almost retorted he had his own blade, but stopped as he realized three things: she already knew that, he couldn't draw it in his position, and she knew that also.

The second she moved out of the locker he followed.  He received a nick to his eyebrow.  Blinking, he wondered why his wound was bleeding so.  He realized why looking from her to the knife.  His droplet of blood on the tip of the blade was drawing a stream of it to the hilt, where it dried, and turned to gilt.  Celesi seemed not to notice as she jumped through the hole.  Her voice tickled once more in his head.  _If you jump I will not catch you.  Do not question me again._  

Dillan set his jaw and jumped after her.  

_Dillan!_

Aidana caught him, in what felt like a net.  "Did you just FEEL like being a moron, or what?"

Dillan ignored her, and watched Aidana fight both forces against her.

~*~

An hour later, Dilandau grasped Dillan in what the slayer considered too tight a grip, and Celesi levitated the beaten and unconcious Aidana inside.

Dilandau tossed Dillan just inside the vione.  "Fix her hole!" he snapped, indicating the broken and bent shrapnel.  Dropping Aidana none too gently, Celesi opened her mouth to object.  Dilandau slapped her.  As she cried out, and Dillan rose from his position on the floor, Dilandau sent a psychokinetic blast through Dillan.  "No arguments from either of you!" he screamed.  He grabbed Celesi roughly by the shoulders, and looked into her teary eyes.  "You will heal me," he said in a very quiet, controlled voice, "Or I will have you killed in a method even that demoness would enjoy."  All three sets of eyes flicked to Aidana's unconcious form.

Celesi hung her head.  "Yes, Dilandau."

Dilandau backhanded her.  Dillan heard her choked back scream of pain, one who withheld them could recognize them.  "Yes, Dilandau-sama." She corrected herself.  As Dilandau gripped her wrists in a death grip, and roughly dragged her into his own side room, Celesi flattened the metal for Dillan, without an outward thought to expose what she'd done.  As the door shut, Dillan watched, wondering how the girl had managed to snare his heart so easily.

Inside, Dilandau removed his armor, to reveal a loose tank top, and leather pants.  She wondered how any of them stood the heat, as all the pieces of armor came off.  He lay on his stomach on a raised board she took to stand for a table, and waited.  Celesi sat on a stool next to him, unsure of where to start.  Her throat was all choked up.  How had Aidana managed to drag her into this?

Dilandau turned his head, glaring at her, and she knew she had no time to think.  She had a job assigned her, and if she valued her own life, she had better start.

In a quiet voice, she managed to say, "Please turn over."  

Dilandau continued to glare at her.  "My back still hurts.  I will turn when it hurts no more."

Celesi nodded, and leaned over, running her finger over the scar from Van's sword.  The scar disappeared.  

He gripped her wrist tightly enough to make her scream, but just enough not to break the bone.  "I told you my back hurts." He said in a quiet voice.  Celesi nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Celesi's fingers ran over various cuts and nicks from the dagger, touching ones with black remnants from Aidana's poisoned blade with her own.  But she saw something that made her want to cry for him.  At least a dozen puncture marks marred the area of his spinal cord.  Celesi ran her fingers tenderly over them, drawing the remaining poison out, and closing the holes.  She wiped the poison off with her own arm.

That time Dilandau broke her arm.

He jumped up, grabbing her arm, twisting her into his grasp, so he could imprint the terror she needed of him.  "Do not try and take any of the pain of sorcerers' wounds on yourself." He looked at the poison merely smeared off of his skin, onto her hers.  He wiped it off, almost tenderly, with his shirt.  Celesi forced her bruised wrist over her broken arm, and set it, then touched her arm with a mere brush, and started again.  Dilandau wondered at how she calmly healed herself to continue her task.  He steeled himself against such thoughts.  This was a mere slave, who would heal him enough to kill the fool who embarassed him.  Still…he smiled, thinking of what Dillan would think of the path his thoughts had just taken.

Celesi swallowed.  "Please, Dilandau sama.  Don't do that." She knew that in some way he wanted to hurt Dillan, and she didn't want that.  To hell whatever happened to her, but she didn't want Dillan to become this hardened shell against compassion, against love.

Dilandau sat up again, but didn't grab her arm to break it.  He gently pulled her into his lap, and stroked her face.  "Little one, I would do it to hurt you.  And if I decide to do it, there's nothing you can do to stop me."  Celesi swallowed.  He was right.  There was nothing that anyone except Folken could do to stop him, and Folken didn't care about her.  She was just there to entertain him, by stirring up attention.  Dilandau kissed her softly.  "Now go curl up on the floor.  You can heal me more if the pain wakes me."

Celesi nodded, and walked to the corner away from both the door and his bed.  She curled up, wrapping her arms around her knees, even though it hurt her healed arm.  When his breathing evened out, she put her head to her knees, and cried.

Aidana's reference was to Brandy's song off her new album.  I think it's title is also the reference given.  Chapter's still short, but I integrated it a little bit.  I may revise this part entirely, using a method closer to what was used in HiRyuu, or let it develop as it is.  Reviews equal new chapters, as usual.


	2. Loved

I torment you all with more of this as reviews for Rory the Prey hasn't come in yet.  As I said before, go read our RP!  This makes no sense without it. It's either on PyroFreak's pen, or I'll have to start it.  So just go to hiryuu.tk and read.

Dillan held the shrapnel in place, and sat there wondering how to connect it.  He had a feeling he was supposed to do this by hand, without any power.  But any way he could think of included a very noisy tool, and he doubted he was to use that either.  

_Kuso._

Dillan closed his eyes, imagining Celesi's body so smoothly melting into his lap.  The locker had been a very tight fit, but he hadn't minded it very much with her there.  And, at the moment, that's where he wished they both were.  

His eyes opened.  Miguel held a can of liquid metal in front of him.  

Dillan nodded, taking it.  

Miguel shook his head, and with a smile, mouthed, "Baka."  Dillan laughed silently, and smiled.  

Miguel's eyes got serious.  "The girl?"  

Dillan winced.  _How did he—!!_  

Miguel knelt there, smiling, waiting for Dillan's response.

Inside Dilandau's room, Celesi had drifted to sleep, her tear stained cheeks sticking to her knees.  Dilandau sat up, just watching her.  He guessed she'd been asleep less than two hours.  He thought for a moment, then smiled.  He got onto the table, and laid down again.  When she awoke, she'd start working.  He knew her that well now.  He'd just nap until then.  And if Dillan was idiotic enough to make any noises, he'd have an excuse to tear his little head off.

~~~

Folken watched Dillan explain what had happened, or at least as much as he understood.  He pondered where this would go.  Aidana and Celesi's hatred rivaled even Dilandau and Dillan's.  If Aidana was stupid enough to stay on Dilandau's bad side, he would regret allowing her to sneak onto the vione.  Then, if Dilandau didn't kill her…

He would.

Celesi stirred, blinking her eyes, and resisting the urge to rub them.  Dilandau was already on the table.  She rushed up, "Gomen nasai, Dilandau sam—a?"  

Dilandau tucked her into a tight hug, wiping her face.  "I'm not mad at you." he whispered, wiping her eyes with his own fingers, smiling at her.  Celesi trembled.  She couldn't help it, all she'd heard of Dilandau was blood and death.  Now, out of nowhere, he took notice of her.  

No.  It was not out of nowhere.  Aidana had come.  She felt anger boil up in her.  Aidana, the demon child, who lived to torment her.  With an effort, Celesi put her anger away.  

Dilandau watched the silent battle in her.  From terror, to anger, to—peace?  What was going on in her pretty little head?  He smiled, and ran his fingers through her silky hair.

Big mistake.  Dilandau couldn't resist even himself.

Celesi found herself being kissed, and could only sit there, wide eyed.  _What can Dilandau sama see in me?  I'm just a little slave girl._  Celesi couldn't comprehend it.  Then she was washed with the memory of Dillan holding her, even if it had been for just a moment.

Aidana awoke, and scanned the minds around her.  Miguel was grilling Dillan on Celesi, Folken was debating killing her, and Dilandau was making out with Celesi.  The last intrigued her, so she looked closely at both.  Narrowing her eyes, she clenched her wrist.  The walls became mere outlines, and she saw inside them, and within their own minds.  Aidana shook with anger.  No, anger was the wrong word.  Her hatred for Celesi had intensified.  Hatred no longer completely described it.  She was bloodthirsty with jealousy.

Dilandau ran his fingers out of her hair, and down her back.  Dilandau smiled at her.  He could sense it very easily, though he was only half dragon.  She was drawn to Dillan as Aidana was to him.  To play with Celesi was forbidden.  It went against everything Dornkirk had ordered.  At the moment, Dornkirk could do himself for all Dilandau cared.  Celesi was a china doll, just waiting to be crushed.  He did not seem to know of the horror stories of what those broken dolls did forever afterwards.

Then again, those stories were mainly built on superstition.

Celesi trembled, and found it hard to draw breath.  Dilandau pressed her against him, and she felt his beating heart, though his was not beating in time with apprehension, but something else.  Something that terrified her.

Abruptly, Dilandau decided to obey orders.  He backhanded Celesi, and kicked her when she fell to the floor.  "Get out of my room, little one," he said in an even tone.  "Just know I'll take you from Dillan a thousand times, just to torment him."

Celesi nodded silently, and scrambled out of the room, tears flying again.  He smiled as Aidana stood in her path, looking ready to bathe the slave in her own blood.  He sat back, propping his feet on the table he'd just been sitting on.  Aidana could always put on a grand show.

~~~

Dillan looked up, hearing Celesi cry out.  Aidana was beating the crap out of her.  

Dillan jumped up, angrily stalking over to his sister.  "Aidana…" he warned, but was flung back psychokinetically for his efforts.

"Shut up onee chan." She said cheerfully, yanking Celesi's head up by the hair, and punching her.  "I'm having too much fun to listen right now."  Smiling sweetly at Celesi, she let go, and kicked the back of her head, then laughed.

Dillan tackled her before either of them knew it was coming.  Grabbing her hair nearly identical to how she had just had Celesi, he yanked her head back, unspeakable rage running through him.

A foot away, Celesi clutched her stomach, wincing.  Celesi almost moaned, but stopped herself.  As much as she hated Aidana, she didn't share the Albot's wish for the other's death.  And Dillan was pretty damn close as it was.

Dillan continued grimly doing everything he saw her doing to Celesi, angrily kicking her harder, yanking her head back farther, and pushing her farther.  "Are you sorry yet?!" he yelled, pulling her head back again by her long hair.  

Aidana's eyes were twin miasmas at what her own brother was doing to her.  And it was all Celesi's fault.  She comforted herself with the thought of a private beating after Dillan had cooled slightly.

He finally stopped, and psychokinetically shoved her into Dilandau's lap, too angry to care about the consequences of such an action.  He turned, and lifted Celesi up, gingerly cradling her against his chest.  Celesi thankfully leaned against him, glad that it was he giving her the affection this time.

Aidana smiled at Dilandau.  "Gomen nasai, Dilandau sama."  Dilandau just glared at her.

He hated to admit how much he loved this she demon.  She rivaled his love of blood just too much for his liking.

A half dozen backhands later, Dilandau stood over her, smirking.  Aidana looked up, her face bruised.  Even though he'd said nothing, she muttered, "Oh, shut up." before flinging him against the far wall.

Dilandau stood, rubbing the back of his head angrily.  "If you insist, we'll move on to the higher levels of torment."

Aidana smiled expectantly.  "Bring it on, two timer."

Dilandau's eyes widened.  She already knew his plan?  His eyes returned to normal.  No, she'd merely seen what he'd been doing earlier.  Smiling, he flung the bed at her.

Aidana laughed, breaking it in half with a thought.  "You know, your room's gonna be demolished before you give in that we're equal."

~~~

In the Dragonslayer's bunkroom, Dillan gently laid Celesi on his bed.  

Miguel smiled, sitting next to her.  "You'll want to shower.  Dilandau's liable to use you for target practice this afternoon."

Dillan racked his brain for the schedule to what was going on today.  Guymelef training.  Dillan groaned, sliding down to the floor.  He was as good as dead if Dilandau was remotely mad at him.  And that seemed to be the way Dilandau was usually feeling.

Celesi moaned, opening her eyes.  Seeing Miguel, she recurled, as close to the wall as she could get.

Miguel laughed.

Dillan propped himself up on the edge of the bed.  "Don't be afraid of Miguel.  Out of every slayer here, he's the one least likely to kill or kiss you."

Dallet emerged from the shower, toweling his long brown tresses.  "I resent that." He smiled at Celesi, a towel around his waist the only garment.  "I'd never steal a lady's kisses, only if she bestowed them on me."

Celesi's eyes fastened on Dillan's hand.  "I am no lady.  I am a slave."

Dillan's heart panged.  Who had instilled this inferiority in her?  Who?  He thought he knew the answer, and she shared his name.

Chesta walked in, shedding his armor.  He saw Celesi, and stopped, blushing.  Gatti laughed at him, from across the room.

Smiling, Gatti promised Dillan, "We'll leave her alone until you come out, Dilly."

Miguel glared at Dallet.  "And anyone who disagrees will have to answer to the two of us."

Celesi was bewildered by what all of this meant, but felt Dillan's kiss to her forehead, and blushed.  

Miguel smiled at her as Dillan reluctantly went to the shower.  If Dilandau was mad at Dilly, he might be dead before the fool thought to tell Celesi he'd fallen madly in love with her.

~~~

Aidana smiled, breaking Dilandau's window.  "You know, I wouldn't have thought someone like you would like the light."

Dilandau scowled, shoving her away from it.  "Just waiting for an idiot to break it, so I can kill them, and then get it closed.  Regulatory air vents have very limited loopholes."

Aidana smirked.  "Oh?  Are you saying my brother hasn't been that idiot yet?  He's been here a few months now."

Dilandau glared her down, through no small effort.  "Your brother has been an annoyance since he came.  Folken is intent on making him HiRyuu, and will stop at nothing to accomplish it."

Aidana grinned.  If Celesi had felt pity for Dilandau, she wondered how the sorcerers would be killed when Celesi observed them tormenting Dillan.

Dilandau slammed her against the wall, and stalked over to her.  "I've had enough of this."

Aidana's smile lessoned slightly into a coy one.  "I knew you would eventually."

Dilandau backhanded her, then kissed her, hard.

Aidana leaned forward, pressing herself against him.

Dilandau smiled.  "Come to me, my pet."

Aidana obliged.

~~~

Folken looked at his watch.  Dillan had a three hour guymelef training session before he was to report to the sorcerers for his daily testing.  He knew Celesi's response to it would be very interesting indeed.

Celesi was morphing into the exact tool Folken needed, nearly exactly as Folken had expected.

She would be the key to turning Dillan against Dilandau.  And then HiRyuu would be the new general.

Everybody remember the movie, when Folken was the moron wanting the world destroyed?  Yeah.  He's using Aidana and Celesi to force Dillan and Dilandau into doing his bidding, or so he hopes.  If you know Aidana, you know this is no spoiler, ok, I'm gonna shut up now and wait for reviews.


	3. Icicle

Aidana smiled sweetly at Celesi. "Your new protector's off flying in his mecha for the afternoon."

Celesi shrugged. "And?"

Aidana curled her fist around her agiel, pleased at the pain it gave her. "I begin to regret giving you the sabbatical Chiyla claimed you needed."

Celesi replied, "Leaving me beaten and bruised outside the tavern after your argument, my body still imbued with the spell of subzero ice keeping all possible helpers and dangers away, I'm supposed to calmly return to MY place as YOUR assisstant. Sorry, but I actually began to heal a little from ten years of joyous friendship with you."

Aidana said, "Look, I know I'm not the perfect friend for you, but we get along as well as we can. Would you have preferred I let you alone when the soldier made for you? We were six years old for Christ's sake, and yet I was decades older than you! I look at you today and still see the trembling little girl with tears streaming down her face. And yet you almost killed me yesterday. Have I really messed you up that badly?"

Celesi looked at her 'friend' rather harshly. "For seven years, yes, the term inseparable would describe us exquisitely. But when you joined the Nephets, you tossed me around like a toy. Yes, you cared enough to keep me from the ritualistic blood ceremony, but otherwise, I was taken advantage of, expected to be there to hear about the night's exploits, the day's work. And, just for the hell of it, try out your new tortures on me. If there was parenting involved, that would be called abuse, and we'd be separated. But since we live in god forsaken Zaibach, most parents sent away on missions or killed from them, you became my family."

Aidana wanted so badly to grab Celesi by the shoulders, and shake sense into her pretty little head, but knew the slight little girl would only use it to prove her point—Except...

She turned. "Did you feel that tendril?"

Celesi nodded, and tugged on it. "The animosity of before...it's unraveling."

Aidana closed her eyes, and instinctively shot a bead of power into the corner she sensed, and it connected solidly. She smiled. "Strategos Folken." Her smile turned to a glower. "Messing with me is one thing. Putting your spells in Celesi's head quite another."

Folken walked to the light, albeit reluctantly. "The girl with no psionic abilities dares threaten me?"

Aidana turned an innocent, confused look to Celesi. "Did I threaten him? I didn't think I did so. I thought I merely told him there's a difference in my opinion between you and I."

Celesi smiled softly. "In voicing your opinion, you implied your threat, although not voicing it."

Aidana uttered a small "Heh," and smirked. "Maybe your time off gave you time to open up just enough."

Folken threw a great heap of animosity onto Aidana again, without the pretense of the day before. "Why don't you go back to hating her?"

Celesi heaped a large dose of mourning onto Folken, much more effectively, being raised by psionic mages as she was. "Why don't you go mourn your brother?"

Aidana cackled aloud, seeing what the girl did. "My best friend's BACK!"

Celesi rubbed her eyes. At two AM, the night was early for Aidana, but late for her companion of a decade.

Aidana sighed. "Still the young little—"

Celesi mumbled while blinking, "I'm not a crack baby, Aidan..."

Aidana smiled. "I have an idea!"

Celesi yawned, fighting to be awake enough to avoid shock. "Oh god."

"Let's go to the olde bar towne of ye Zaibach."

Celesi woke up, trying to decipher the ridiculous old English. "You're incredibly cruel to that poor language just to wake me up."

Folken, done sobbing as he saw his audience utterly ignoring him, he went to wail in his room for his yet living brother.

Celesi rolled her eyes. "You have GOT to be kidding me."

Aidana looked up at Celesi from her bed she lay sprawled upon. "I like you when you're so tired you're not yourself anymore. You're actually interesting."

Celesi held up the dress incredulously. "In a balor's domain, chained to Errtu himself, I would complain wearing this in public!"

Aidana rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, and I thought you'd have a VALID disagreement. Maybe things'll even out by four when I feel pity on you and let you come back to sleep."

Celesi tried to look at the costume objectively. She even tried it on to humor Aidana, forgetting for her brain was so scrambled that the second she completed doing so Aidana would pull her out the door.

The tube top covered her chest—though briefly, it did cover it. Showing off cleavage she didn't know she had. Black silk, it was an exquisite look by itself. She imagined Dillan's arms over her bare shoulders, and blushed. 

Folken's spell of uninhibited behavior was wearing off.

The skirt dipped low enough to show her stomach. Aidana pointed out it was to show off either abs or belly rings—neither the girl had, was also pointed out with a laugh. More black silk, she loved the feeling of it. She wished it was a traditional gown. With a neckline she liked—not Aidana.

The 'overcoat' was a laugh, in her opinion. Silk mesh covered her from shoulders to almost her knees. Here Aidana intervened.

"No no no! Here, hold it down, right below your shoulders. Spread it across your back—like that. 

Perfect." She aligned the edge of the coat perfectly across her shoulder blades, then shook an accusing finger at her. "The extra length is for your back being wider. It's not to be clutched tightly to disclude the world. Your break to reality's over. You're back with me, now."

Celesi sighed, rolling her eyes. "As you wish, 'Mi'Lady.'"

Aidana smirked. "And hopefully, the slayers'll come out for a drink after their delayed 'melef exercise."

Celesi's eyes sparkled, but Aidana held her still. "We still have to do your make up, hair, and doll you up with some jewelry."

An hour later, Aidana was satisfied. Three hairbrushes of each four kinds, ninety six bobby pins and twenty nine black threads weaved into thousands of braids, Celesi's updo would last through the oscars, and probably be the most memorable and tried repeated. Chrome pyramids—tiny ones as Celesi insisted—dangled from her ears. The matching shackles around her wrists made her look—once again—like Aidana's slave.

Aidana smiled, bringing out the last chain. The only ornament in the center was made of clear crystal, and read, "ICY."

Aidana shivered. "Now spell us."

"What if I don't?" she asked.

"Then you get to be trained tonight." she answered.

Celesi chanted the incantation that would make Aidana a burning inferno to the touch, and herself a subzero ice cube.

Finally satisfied, Aidana closed her book, and rose to find her own dress

She looked at a scarlet garment for a long while before donning it.

The skirt was solid, two straps overlapping for the top. Ties on opposing sides held it up on the sides, with the tie at the neck in the back.

Aidana smiled. "I don't think I've worn a dress since I last saw you."

Celesi rolled her eyes. "Just don't go biting everyone when you get drunk."

Aidana pouted, "I'm hurt."

Celesi just ignored her.

At the tavern, someone grabbed Aidana, but immediately let go, swearing.

The two took a booth in a dark corner.

"Why are we sitting in the dark?" Celesi asked in a whisper.

Aidana smirked. "The 'Slayers always sit in that corner, just ahead of us." She smiled at Celesi. "The spell only works if they touch first, ne?"

Celesi sighed, giving up hope. "Will you never learn..."

Dilandau watched Dillan slip away, separating himself from the group.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

Dillan turned. "To bed. In case you hadn't noticed, it's nearing four A. M. I'd like to have black circles a little thinner than everyone else's when morning comes, and not as severe a hangover."

Dilandau backhanded him. "You can come, without drinking, and then you'll avoid another hangover similar to this morning's."

Dillan rolled his eyes. "And just why is going to a tavern a required activity for a Dragon Slayer?"

Dilandau slapped him again. "Questioning my orders? Maybe it's time for a second visit with the little slave..." Dillan growled, but caught up with the others. 

A crush seemed to complicate matters much more than necessary.

At the tavern, Dillan sat between Chesta and Miguel, ordered a margarita, and sat back, watching the others. 

Completely unsurprised, he watched Aidana settle herself into Dilandau's lap. What surprised him was the amount of men going over to the dark corner, swearing as they emerged, coming back with frozen limbs and members. 

Curious, Dilandau asked Aidana what was there. The comment spurred another make out session, and Dilandau's curiosity abated.

Dillan curious himself at this point, decided to investigate. 

He found it difficult to push through the drunken crowd.

What he found in the corner shocked him.

Curled into a fetal position, shivering against the wall as the foulest language was thrown at her, as she was touched in every place imaginable.

Dillan's eyes lit with liquid fire. He shoved the current tormentors away, and lifted her to his chest.

The albino paled and grimaced as the freezing ice coated his skin.

Celesi peeked her head out, saw Dillan, and cried out with relief, touching him.

The icy coolness melted away into the warm young woman nestled in his arms.

Back in the 'Slayers bunkroom, he calmly asked, "Why were you in there alone?"

Celesi, curled up on his bunk sighed, letting her overcoat drop.

With it went Dillan's jaw.

"Aidana claimed we were going club hopping, for old times sake. But she ditched me for Dilandau—as usual."

Dillan sat down beside her, and gently hugged her. "You know, you can let her go alone."

Celesi laughed at that. "Just like you can disobey Dilandau. But there are consequences for doing something against one above you."

Dillan sighed, remembering the earlier discussion. He moved her into his lap, and hugged her against him. "Always the consequences."

Celesi turned around. "How long do Folken's psionic spells interfere with my personality?"

Dillan paled. "What did he take control of?" he asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

"Inhibition. Before we left, I humiliated him, hoping he'd removed the spells on us. Aidana seemed her usual self, as we talked like we used to; but then again, I'm normally not so open. But the utter fear of everyone—that was designed to immobilize me for capture."

Dillan imagined his Celesi in the hands of the sorcerers, and tightened his grip on his angel. She was not only beautiful, but intelligent as well. "Me and Aidana are going to have a little talk the second her hangover lessens."

Celesi smiled, closing her eyes. "My protective savior."

Dillan lifted her, and walked to his locker. He let her curl up there as she would. He wanted to tuck her into the warmest, comfortable bed on the vione. But he knew that would only bring her trouble.

He would rather her safe than spoiled.

A/N: and there is chapter three, much better than the last thing I wrote.


End file.
